Nintendo Direct – February 2019 – Nintendo Switch

A new Nintendo Direct has finally aired, with many new game announcements, footage and a few release dates. You can watch it in full here:

 

Super Mario Maker 2

First up was the announcement of a sequel to the Wii U’s 2015 hit, Mario Maker. It appears to have all the previous features of the first game. As well as plenty of new items and mechanics such as the cat suits from the Super Mario 3D Land/World games. It it slated for a June release this year. You can buy the first game on the 3DS.

 

Marvel, Box Boy and Smash Brothers

The latest of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series was already announced exclusively for Switch at the Game Awards. Which is an action-rpg series featuring a playable cast of various Marvel comics characters. This time they showed some gameplay mostly of Captain Marvel. It has four player co-op on splitscreen, multiple system local or online. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 has a release window of Summer 2019.

Bye-Bye Box Boy wasn’t the series finale after all. For his Nintendo Switch debut two player co-op has been added. Qudy their rectangular friend has his own levels to play after the story is completed. Box Boy + Box Girl has 270 stages total and will release on the Nintendo Switch e-shop April 26th.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate is getting a version 3.0 update in Spring. While very tight lipped about it, the first DLC character Joker from Persona 5’s character model was revealed and he will release by the end of April. New amiibos for the game were revealed being, Pokemon Trainer, Squirtle, Ivysaur, Simon Belmont and Snake.

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Captain Toad DLC, Bloodstained and Dragon Quest Builders 2

Captain Toad Treasure Tracker’s Switch port is getting a free update so that all levels are playable in co-op. That update should be out by now. Immediately after, paid content will have eighteen challenges with five new levels. Collecting the shiny crown in each course with Captain Toad and Toadette can be played co-op or single player. This paid DLC looks to be fairly cheap as it’s only $9 AUD, one course has released and the rest will arrive on the 14th of March. It appears this DLC won’t be coming to the 3DS version.

Bloodstained Ritual of The Night, is a 2D platformer funded by Kickstarter and directed by Koji Igarashi former leader producer on the Castlevania series. The game follows Miriam progressing through the castle of Hell to get to her old friend Gebel who summoned it. It will come to the Switch in Summer 2019.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 starts on an empty island where you build settlements to attract villagers while protecting it from monsters. This time you’ll have local or online co-op for a total of four players at a time. The game can be played in first person which might be a relief to some who had trouble with the first game. With this there is also running, parachuting and underwater exploration. If there is data of the first game on your Nintendo Switch you can craft the builder’s outfit for the first game, and the Dragon Lord’s throne. Dragon Quest Builders 2 will release on July 12, 2019. Yvonne’s review of the first game can be read here.

 

Dragon Quest XI S, Tsum Tsums, Starlink Update

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I’ve talked about it previously but now the Western release of the Nintendo Switch port of Dragon Quest XI is confirmed. Game play has finally been shown and while it seems like there’s a slight resolution drop it’s certainly better than the 3DS version. Like the 3DS version there will be an option to change the visuals to SNES style graphics. It will have the orchestrated version of the soundtrack which was lacking from the prior releases. Since there is now a Japanese dub, there will be dual audio. They also announced more content so hopefully that means it will content the extra post game story parts that were in the 3DS only. Maybe, even more? The definitive edition will launch exclusively to the Nintendo Switch this Fall.

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Disney Tsum Tsum Festival is a party game feature the Tsum Tsum toys of Disney characters. It has four player local and online co-op. The usual Tsum Tsum game you can find on mobile devices on in arcades will also be included. Making this a way to enjoy the game without micro transactions perhaps? This will have multi system local or online two player competitive play. To release sometime 2019.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas will have a Spring update, adding the other Star Fox crew members as playable characters for new story missions. This update will also have star ship races and faction missions. Which will release on April this year. Perhaps the updates will interest me in completing the game.

 

Rune Factory 4, Oninaki and Yoshi’s Crafted World

Rune Factory 4 which was a 3DS game has now been ported to the Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately that means it doesn’t look too nice. Within the special version there will be some kind of extra content for each marriage candidate. It will be available later this year. Despite the original developers of the series going bankrupt Rune Factory 5 is in development.

Square Enix’s team that have created I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphere are releasing an action game. Called Oninaki the main character can travel between the living world and the Beyond. The souls you rescue in the Beyond will become skills you can use to fight monsters. This single player campaign will release Summer 2019.

Yoshi’s Crafted World releasing on the 29th of March got some new information and game play footage. There are various different level types including rafting, solar car racing and plane levels. In game coins will give Yoshi crafted costumes that give some damage protection. These adorable costumes number over 180 and it appears that there might be some slight Labo compatibility. As one of  the costumes labelled “tricky to get your hands on” was a Labo Piano costume. A demo of the first level should have released now.

 

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

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The long awaited new Fire Emblem game gets more game play footage and story background. Like the most recent games you have an avatar, and I can’t say I’m a fan of the female’s outfit. In the monastery you will be a teacher in an academy with three houses based on the three countries of the continent. You will pick one house to be the teacher of, I’ll probably pick the one with Edelgard in it. Field trips will be taken which involve the usual Fire Emblem strategy turn based battles. From the academy you will increase the stats of your students through training and tutoring. Fire Emblem Three Houses will release on July 26th and a special edition has also been announced.

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Tetris 99, Dead by Daylight and Deltarune

A free online game (subscription required) with competitive online play of a total of 99 players at a time for Tetris has released. There will be upcoming online events.

Dead By Daylight the asymmetrical online horror game, which already didn’t look pretty now has a Switch version. One player plays at the killer while the other four try to escape the map. It will come out in Fall this year.

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The first chapter of Deltarune release free for PCs a few months ago and will now come to the Nintendo Switch at the end of February. This comes from Toby Fox the creator of Undertale When the later chapters release they will not be free. The game play is fairly similar to that of it’s predecessor.

 

Daemon X Machina Demo, GRID Autosport and Hellblade

Daemon X Machina has released four demo missions which I’ll shortly be playing. It is an action mech game that will have online four player co-op missions, and some out of mech levels as well. Those who play the demo might receive a survey email. It is estimated to release Summer 2019.

GRID Autosport is a last gen racing game, it will have all DLC with one hundred cars, and circuits. Adding to it will be motion and custom controls. Online and local multi system play is available as well as two player splitscreen. There is also a demolition derby mode which is interesting.

Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice is an action adventure game that released last year. It follows the story of Senua a Celt with psychosis. Releasing in Spring 2019.

 

More Headlines

Mortal Kombat 11 the latest in the gory fighting franchise will come to Nintendo Switch on April 23rd. Unraveled Two, the co-op sequel to puzzle platformer Unraveled comes on the Switch on March 22nd. Assassin’s Creed III is getting a remaster releasing on May 21st, although the performance doesn’t look much improved. This remaster will have motion aiming and touch input. The package will include the DLC and Liberation.

 

Final Fantasy VII will be ported to the Nintendo Switch on March 26th. Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy is to come out on March 20th. Final Fantasy IX has released onto the Nintendo Switch e-shop as of now, although the price seems a bit much.

 

Astral Chain and Link’s Awakening

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A new game from Platinum Games was revealed, in which you play as police officers with a special technology. Where a robot is chained to you leading into combos and special moves. The release date is August 30th.

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A remake of the GameBoy game The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is coming to Nintendo Switch. A new 3D art style for the 2D game looks stunning. Set for a 2019 release.

 

Overall

It was a jam packed direct and I’m glad for the multiple game announcements. Many I would wish for a more concrete release dates on these games, largely because I’m trying to budget for them. I’ll be playing a few demos this evening.

I’m most interested in Dragon Quest Builders 2, Dragon Quest XI S, Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon, Daemon X Machina, Link’s Awakening and Astral Chain. Although a few others do look interesting.

Which games that were announced or spoken about at the direct are you most looking forward to?

8 comments

  1. I’m most looking foreword to Dragon Quest XI, Rune Factory 4 and the remake of Zelda, Link’s Awakening.
    I’m so happy the Switch is doing so well!

  2. Looking forward to Dragons Quest Builders2 for PS4 and Rune Factory 5, but I wait till Animal Crossing is coming before I buy a Switch.

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